Monday, March 31, 2014

Kevin Beddoe and I were hanging out at UkeJay's Jam in San Francisco last weekend.﻿ Kevin and I met at the Wine Country Ukulele Festival in Napa last year. Since then the Kinnard Ukes have expanded to include an amazingly beautiful and so smoothly playable.

We had a chance to play some music in the conference room in the back.

Roger Ruthen, from south-eastern Australia, is a big contributor to the baritone ukulele community. As far as I know pdf-Minstrel is the biggest site, of a very few around the world, that is making regular contributions to the baritone ukulele. Every once in a while Roger has a point that he'd like to share on Humble Baritonics. I'm always glad to share his opinions because I want to share the widest variety of information possible to you the everyday reader.

Here's what Roger has to share...

"I have played all sizes of ukulele for many years in most tunings. My favourite ukulele is the Baritone Uke, and my favourite way of playing is with a hard plectrum. I have written the transcriptions specifically to be played with a plectrum, although they can be easily played fingerstyle. Out of all the ukes, I find that the Baritone Uke has the greatest volume and sustain, having said that it is nowhere comparable to a classical guitar. This is why I use a pick on the shorter string length of the Baritone uke. The fingernails do not give as wide a range of volume or tone that the plectrum can give with proper technique. Good technique also eliminates string buzz when the plastic plectrum come into contact with the baritone ukulele strings by playing through the string at the correct angle.

I have published many Baritone Ukulele chord/melody arrangements on Pdf-Minstrel suitable for plectrum and can be found at:

I now have several genres of tabs for the plectrum 'Bari.' such as Flatpicking Melodies, Hymns, Cantatas, Classical and Traditional. I would encourage all Baritone Ukulele players to try playing with a plectrum, especially those that have previously played a guitar with a plectrum. There is no doubt that it is harder to play with a plectrum than playing with your fingers, but with perseverance you will increase your volume and speed of attack better than that can achieved by fingers alone.

Friday, March 21, 2014

I had the privilege of meeting Kevin Beddoe last year at the Napa Wine Country Ukulele Festival. He is the distibutor and owner of Kinnard Ukes. His company was specializing in making beautiful tenor ukuleles. I had my early 60's Favilla baritone with me and he gave it a test. He is a skilled musician and found the baritone intriguing. He sent me a few links to some music that he played with me in Napa and asked me a few questions about what I'd like to see in a baritone ukulele. John S. Kinnard is the luthier and builder of the Kinnard Ukuleles.

Below you will see his vision, for the baritone ukulele, that he sent just a few days ago. It is an absolutely gorgeous instrument. And it has a sound hole (a la Jonathan Mann's bari -- but just a little shinier). It has the peg head internally gear tuners. I wish I could include his sound sample. Click the photos to enlarge.

From the YT comments... "At this concert, staged at Tinney Chapel, the quintessential country church, 03-15-14, Joe Dan Boyd plays his "big, bad, bass ukulele," aka a 1931 Martin 1-17-P (a long-scale plectrum guitar strung and played like a baritone ukulele) tuned DGBE with a capo on the second fret and using a Gibson triangle medium tortoise style pick. He performs White Dove, Hold Fast To The Right and If We Never Meet Again (this side of Heaven). On the second two songs, he is joined by Doc Davis on washtub bass and Denise Marsoun on spoons. On the third song, Ora Young also sings harmony."

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

We're all just children pretending to be adultsWe're all just monkey's expecting resultsDon't let anybody see that you don't know what you're doingDon't let anybody know how vulnerable you feel

It's realIt's realThe storm and the sun and you're the only oneWho can feelWhat you feelThe arctic mountains in your heartAre real

There's pain in my chest and he won't go awayHe's my best friend, he sits silentlyUntil I hear him whisperBut I don't wanna listenBut the more I don't acknowledge himThe more my heart pounds like a piston

It's realIt's realThe storm and the sun and you're the only oneWho can feelWhat you feelThe arctic mountains in your heartAre real

I am an animal, I scream and shoutCrack me open and pour me outI can fill the universeWith the freezing cold of winterI'm good at keeping it complicatedYou can't make it simpler

DoGBonE NEWS

Lately, I have been working on The Bad-Ass Baritone Ukulele, TBABU, which is a blog of playlists featuring baritone ukulele players that have been featured on HB over the last 8 years. Each playlist is of a single artist (or band).

Do me a favor and take a look at TBABU, leave comments on any player you like. I use these as playlists to enjoy at the end of the workday or while drving.

Thanks for your bari interest...

Jeff West / Humble Uker / June 21, 2017

P.S. Thanks to Roger, Tom and Andrew for their contribution to HB over the last few months.